Understanding Your Toddler - Part 1

This is the first part of a 3-article discussion on toddler development. As a parent, it's a wonderful habit to listen to our toddlers and understand their thoughts and emotions. Toddler years are probably one of the most crucial stages of a child's development, thus understanding what your child needs will help him become more expressive and confident throughout the toddler years.


PART I: Understanding Your 1 Year-Old Toddler

•  At this stage, what is my 1 year-old learning? 

At this stage, your 1 year-old baby will begin to speak. Studies show that 1 year-old babies can normally say around 6 words, but can understand close to 65-70 words. Findings also show that baby girls tend to learn more words at an earlier age than boys. Furthermore, advanced toddlers usually acquire language skills faster. 

1. Your baby's first words will normally refer to parts of his body, people, and familiar possessions like toys and other objects. 
2. As his vocabulary increases, your baby will likely add actions to accompany or support his words. Examples of these would be performing hand gestures when saying "come" and "go," or directive movements such as "up" and "down."
3. Now, as your child moves on from being a 12 month-old to becoming an 18 month-toddler, he will learn new words slowly. Studies say that the average rate is around 4-6 new words per month. Your child will then use these new words regularly or drop them as he tries move on and learn new ones. If you notice your child is no longer using those words he previously learned, don't panic! This is perfectly normal. Even if your child chooses to use newer words in his speech, older words remain in his memory and are not forgotten. 

•  As a parent, how I can best help my 1 year-old become more advanced in learning?
  
  

  1. Encourage your child to play puzzles. A simple 2- to 6-piece puzzles can help improve your toddler's sequencing ability.
  2. Inspire your child to assist you in performing household chores.
  3. Stir your toddler's creativity by helping him build towers of blocks.
  4. Offer them toys that can be emptied and filled.
  5. Encourage your child to draw and scribble by giving him paper and large crayons.
  6. When talking to your toddler, use the proper names of words. Do not approach your child in a "baby talk" manner, as this won't help in his speech development. When your child says "blankie," it's proper for you to say "Blanket, that is right."
  7. Help your toddler in expanding his sentences. When he says "Want water," you say "Do you want to drink water?"
  8. Make it a habit to read storybooks with pictures to your child. It will help him improve his speech and is a great bonding moment too! 

•  How much will my 1 year-old grow? 

Studies indicate that 1 year-old babies gain an average of 8 ounces and grow an average of 1/4  to 1/2 inch every month. During this stage, his growth rate will begin to bog down. Your toddler will start to develop his muscles and lose baby fat. Help him progress ahead of the rest by giving him the best care and nutrition.

• What is my 1 year-old feeling?

Now that your toddler uncovered the use of his legs, he will try to walk around more often and explore things on his own. This can both be very exciting and frustrating to your toddler as he will sometimes fall down while trying to discover things around him. He may feel joy, sadness, or anger during this stage. Don't worry, this is perfectly normal. Just let your toddler know that you're there for him to support and guide him in every way. Encourage your toddler to express his feelings and emotions, however do not allow negative behavior such as biting or hitting. 

1. Your 1 year old will start to develop a sense of self. Words like "me," "my" and "mine" become a common term. 
2.  If you tell them not to swat the dog, slam his hands on your glass window, or pull his clothes out of the drawer, he may not always listen. Mommies, do not be alarmed! This is just your toddlers way of saying "I'm independent." 
3. Alongside this increasing sense of self comes his fear of abandonment. Your child will feel very scared when he gets separated from you, and when you disappear, he will lose his self-confidence. This is the stage where separation anxiety on toddlers tend to come into being. This separation anxiety will soon wane during the whole of  toddler years, typically at around 18 months.

             

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